Chapter 3: Chapter 2

Aiden Vasilakis

F L A S H B A C K

3 months ago

I was going to kill him.

That was the only thought running through my mind as I strode down the hall that led me to my father's wing of the house.

Two guards stood in front of me blocking the entrance of his wing of the house as if this were some type of mob house, as if them being there actually served a purpose aside from keeping his own wife out of his wing of the house.

"Sir do you have permission to be in this wing of the estate?" One of the guards asked, sunglasses covering his eyes.

"I have to see my father," Anger was bubbling up inside me at an alarming rate, the longer it was taking me to get to him, the higher the chances of me killing him on the spot became.

"Your father did not inform us of your presence in his part the estate," He continued and moved his hand down to the gun attached to his holster in a warning.

My nostrils flared as I stuggled to control my breathing, "This is an emergency, I need to speak to my father," I managed to get out my voice coming out strained through gritted teeth. I took a step forward in an attempt to get through but my efforts were swiftly halted by the two fuckers in front of me.

They both held me back with a tight grip on my shoulders,"Sir, we can't let-"

"What is going on here?" The voice of my dear old father cut him off, he strode down the long hall towards us, a knowing smirk plastered on his face.

I don't know how it happened, the world around me felt bizarre, everything felt warped. My eyes were on him and only him. My body moved before I could really process everything and I suddenly had him right in front of me. My hands were on his colar before I had time to fully process how I'd ridden myself from the guards grip. I pinned him against the wall hard enough to feel it vibrate beneath him, "How could you?!" I managed to get out before the guards were right behind me trying to get me away from their beloved boss.

My father held his hand up just as they had gotten me to release my grip completely, "Leave us, gentlemen," He told them calmly, the cocky smirk never leaving his face, somehow even more prominent.

"But Sir-"

"Don't worry," His smirk grew into a grin as he smoothed his suit, "he's harmless,"

They hesitated for just a moment longer before they were off, down the long hallway my father had emerged from.

"That was quite the aggressive greeting, son. What happened to hello, father?" He chuckled as he continued to smooth out his already impeccable suit. Even with the impact his salt and pepper hair had managed to stay gelled back to perfection.

"You can't fucking do that to her, she's your wife she's the owner of 50% of what you have," My chest was heaving and I cursed myself for it, I despised losing control like this.

"Ah, you're only partially right, she is my wife, yes, but she does not own 50% of what I have." He said with a chuckle somehow finding humor in this fucked up situation, "This is my empire and I built it from the ground up all by myself, your mother didn't do shit. Her only job was to raise you and she couldn't even do that properly I mean just look at you–"

"Robert she's dying!" My voice boomed down the hallway echoing as it travelled on for what seemed like miles ahead, "and she will only continue to die faster if you continue to refuse to pay for her medical expenses, knowing full well that I won't be able to afford quality treatment like you can," Flashes of my conversation with my mother just a few minutes ago appeared in my mind. I had noticed she had gotten thinner, noticed she hadn't been her energetic self in a while, noticed how easily she was getting tired. She had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. She had known for about a month and hasn't had the decency to tell me.

Until today. I was paying her my routinely visit and she couldn't even get out of bed to give me a hug. So she finally broke down and told me. Everything.

He let out a sigh, "Look Aiden, I'm a practical man, the cancer has practically eaten her alive already. She's dead to me, why the fuck would I spend my hard earned money on hospital bills for a woman that will be dead within the the next few months? Just doesn't seem like a smart investment,"

I let out a scoff shaking my head, "You're unbelievable. Tell me Robert, is this your way of punishing me? Punishing me for not turning out the way you wanted me to, for not having any interest in following in on your footsteps and fulfilling your legacy, for being your only son that you had to disown 5 years ago? If it is then I beg that you don't involve my mother in this, punish me all you want but leave her out of this,"

He brought his hand up to his hand faking being wounded by my words, "I would never. What kind of man do you take me for?" He spoke, fake innocence laced in his tone, "but of course if you really want to help your mother, there is always a way. I can make a few arrangements,"

I shook my head letting out a humourless chuckle, "Unbelievable-" He spoke as if she were merely a stranger and not a woman he chose to marry.

"No no, I'm serious. It's quite simple actually. Just apologize to me and I'll let you back in the family and I'll even allow you to come work with me at RVP," He grinned showing his overly white veniers, "I know you make a fraction of what I can offer you at your current job and I trust me Aiden, I can offer you a lot of money. All you have to do is come back and work at RVP and in one years time you take over the business fully when I retire,"

I stared at him stunned by the words that had come out of his mouth. My ears were either playing tricks on me or this was some type of fucked up lucid nightmare that would not end.

This was not my father. Couldn't be. The man I knew to be my father would never propose such an offer. The man I knew to be my father wouldn't retire, he was the type of man who had the 'work untill your last breath' mindset. And most importantly, the man I knew to be my father would never leave his most lucrative asset in the hands of the son he disowned without any remorse behind his eyes.

Something wasn't right.

I took a step forward now being just inches away from him, "I will never, ever, apologize to you so you can take that offer and shove it up your ass,"

P R E S E N T  D A Y

I stepped foot into the only place I promised myself I would never return to.

Robert Vasilakis Productions. Or RVP for short.

Not only had I walked into this place again but I was here to do something I never intended to do. Apologize to my father.

I've lived 5 full years of my life without feeling the need to apologize to him because you can't truly apologize for something if you feel as though you did nothing wrong and I did nothing wrong.

But this wasn't just about me anymore. It was about the most important person in my life; my mother.

"Good morning," I said to the blonde haired girl who I assumed was the receptionist, bright red lipstick coating her lips.

She lifted her blue eyes from the screen in front of her and met my gaze, "Can I help you?" She said her tone was laced with boredom that was only enhanced by the gum that she chewed extra loudly.

"Yes, I'm here to talk to Robert Vasilakis,"

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked, keeping her voice as monotone as humanly possible.

"No I don't but–" I managed to get out before she rudely cut me off.

"Then you will have to wait, sit there I'll call you when I find out if he's available to see you," Her eyes went back down to her screen as she began typing again.

Alright then.

I turned and headed to the waiting sofas, sitting down. I took the chance to look around the lobby, it was elegant. But I expected nothing less coming from my father. He's a man of class, a man who enjoys the most lavish things that life has to offer.

A massive chandelier that–a chandelier that must have cost a fortune– hung from the ceiling was the main attraction of the lobby. Floor to ceiling windows lined the entrance to the building. The marbles floor looked as if it had been coated in a thin layer of glass from how shiny it was. Behind the receptionist's desk was the RVP logo written in gold against a mate black backdrop. Then there was the sitting area that consisted of three couches and a center table all of which were mainly black with a few gold elements complimenting the logo.

A few minutes alone with my thoughts wasn't exactly something I needed. It was only making me reconsider things. As much as I knew it was a horrible fucking idea I had taken more than a week to come to this decision it wasn't an easy one to make. But it was the most effective one.

I tried everything. I even got a second job but it still wasn't enough, I needed to make sure my mother was as comfortable as possible before she passes. . . before she passes.

It was all still so foreign to me. But I had finally come to terms with it. My mother was dying. She was dying. The woman that could do no wrong was dying. It was inevitable. But with enough quality hospice care she could stay here longer, even if it was two days longer than what she was expected to live, it would make this all worth it.

But fuck, I couldn't help but think that this long waiting period was some type of sign from this fucked up universe somehow telling me that it was a bad idea anyway. Perhaps it was giving me a chance to give it up now.

But my thoughts were cut short when the receptionist waved me over,"Unfortunately, since you don't have an appointment it'll be impossible to arrange a meeting between you and Mr. Vasilakis today but I can try to get you filled in for Thursday next week. I didn't catch your name," She clicked her pen open and looked up at me again.

"Aiden," I told her and as soon as the words came out my mouth she scribbled down on her notepad, "Aiden Vasilakis, his son," I added and her face dropped and I could practically see the life drain from her face, "do I still require an appointment to see my own father?"

She blinked as she stared up at me before regaining her senses, a bright smile suddenly lit her face, "Mr Vasilakis, my apologies I wasn't aware that you were coming in today. One moment," She said as her shaky hand picked up the phone, "hey Steph, is Mr Vasilakis available right now? His son is here to speak to him," She told the girl on the other side of the line, "alright I'll send him up, thanks," she said before hanging up the phone looking back up at me, "he's ready to see you, just take the elevator to the 38th floor and Steph will assist you from there,"

I nodded, turning around to leave.

"Once again I apologize for any inconvenience I might have caused," She told me stopping me in my tracks.

I hated using my father's influence to get what I wanted but this was different, this was a life or death situation and she didn't seem to keen on helping me before she knew of my relationship with him.

"You're fine," I told her with a brief smile before heading to the elevator. The ride up the many floors was seamless and fast, I was up on the 38th floor in a matter of seconds.

A girl who introduced herself as Steph waited for me just outside the elevator doors on the 38th floor. She introduced herself as my father's personal assistant before leading me to the door of his office.

She knocked twice before opening the door for me. I stepped into my father's office, it was much like his office back home. Spacious. And minimalist. Or as I'd like to put it; bland.

She shut the door leaving me alone in a room with the man I despised most who just happened to be my father. He sat at his desk, his salt and pepper hair gelled back to perfection–I don't think I'd ever seen a strand of his hair out of place– his black tie sat discarded on his desk and the sleeves of his white button up were rolled up his arms.

"Well well well, you sure cleaned up nicely," He said as I made my way to his desk in slow long strides. It had been months since I'd last seen him, back then my hair was longer, a thicker stubble covered my face. But now in order for this to work I needed to look the part; I trimmed down my beard into a more tamed 5 o'clock shadow and shortened my hair that I gelled back to perfection aside from a few stubborn strands that refused to leave my forehead. A dark blue suit completed the spoiled preppy rich boy look that I was going for. "Now you're looking more like a Vasilakis,"

"It's good to see you too, father," I said dryly, standing just inches away from his desk.

"I could not believe my ears when I heard that my beloved son had finally come to see me," He smirked leaning back onto his chair, "I'm guessing you finally came to senses about your mother's situation?" He questioned, playing dumb like he didn't know  exactly what I was doing here.

I simply nodded, "I'm here to apologize to you," I said but I wasn't even sure what I was apologizing for. He disowned me, not the other way around.

"Oh," The smirk on his face only grew, turning almost mockingly confident, "and what are you apologizing for exactly?" He asked.

I clenched my jaw forcing myself to bite back what I actually wanted to say. He knew exactly why I was here, I cleared my throat as I told myself over and over again that this was for the sake of my mother, "5 years ago I made a choice that I now see was immature and stupid." I started my voice coming out strained, "I left a beautiful loving home to follow a stupid dream that only led me to a dead-end. Now I see how stupid it all was, so I'm sorry father," I tried to sound as sincere as I possibly could but I was failing miserably, it all just sounded like I was reading from a badly written script.

He snickered, "I know you don't mean a single word but I'm gonna pretend that you do. I forgive you son, welcome back to the family. Just so you know serious I am about this, about helping you take care of your mom, 300 thousand dollars will be deposited to your bank account by the end of the day just to give you a taste of what working with me will be like," He smirked leaning forward again resting his elbows on the desk, "you just need to do your part,"

300k in my bank account.

"I will, I promise," I told him just vaguely aware of what he actually said, my mind zoned out after hearing about the 300k.

I knew exactly what I was going to do with that money. I needed to get my mother out of that house, I needed to make sure she lived her last days in a place that brought her joy, my father's house had nothing but bad memories, memories of a failed marriage and a failed family.

I needed to buy a house.

Chapter 2 done!!

Tell me what you think! I am so so so excited to take you on Aiden and Kristal's journey with me. Hope you're along for the ride and don't forget your seatbelts because this will be a bumpy ride ;).

Love,

J